Big Change To UC Application Requirements Stressing Students Out

As the school year was about to end, three friends gathered in the college counseling room at Foshay Learning Center, a K-12 public school near the University of Southern California. Dozens of college pennants hung from the ceiling and the walls were plastered with posters with tips on how to prepare for and apply for college.

The friends talked about one of the biggest headaches on the University of California undergraduate application: the personal statement essay.